Partners
by AmethystDreamer
Summary: "Ziva, I'd go with you to the ends of the earth because I am your partner and that's what partners do-they have each other's sixes. If we're doing this, you need to trust me to have your six. I need to be your partner!" Tag to 10X20 "Chasing Ghosts". Spoilers for the episode, not even speculation for the next few. No romance (this time), but good friendship fluff


Hello world of fanfiction! I am glad to be back! This is my first NCIS story and though it's short, I am thrilled to have finally been inspired to write again! There isn't any romance in this story, although I'm so completely on board with the TIVA ship, it's boarderline fanatical. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy :)  
Disclaimer: Up to ears in student debt. I own nothing.

* * *

Tony drives home quickly, packs quickly, and gets over to Ziva's in record time. It is only once he is about to knock on her door that he stops and thinks about what he's doing, where he's going, and the big, biggest, question: why.

He doesn't have a chance to examine the whys behind his willingness to follow Ziva into the darkness off the grid before she's opening the door, looking frazzled and speaking urgently as she pulls him inside.

"You need to leave your gun here." She tells him as they stand in her living room. "You ca not take your NCIS gun, you'll need one of mine."

Ziva pulls out a large suite case from underneath her couch. Inside, there are probably ten handguns. "Pick whichever you feel most comfortable with."

She is moving, moving all around him, while he stands still in her living room. Things are happening. Things have been happening and he wasn't even told about them until recently and to be honest he doesn't know how he feels.

"Tony." She says. "Tony!" Ziva yanks on his arm. "Please. We have a flight to catch."

He stumbles towards the guns, but then gently removes her hands off of him. "It's not too late for me to get McGee."

Now she freezes. "What?"

"McGee." He repeats. "I could get McGee. He could go with you. He's probably more useful anyway with the hacking and the tracking."

There is surprise on her face, perhaps a dawning of realization. Tony feels a flash of fear. She may say yes. Ziva may decide he's useless, and then he will be unable to do anything but stand and watch her traipse off to another continent-again-while he remains in Washington and can do nothing to protect her-again.

"I do not want McGee to come with me. Tony, you are my partner." Her hand is cool against his cheek, but it does not soothe his fears.

"You told him before me. You didn't tell me at all." He reminds her. "I had to convince Abby to put a trace on your cell phone to find out. Was I your partner then?"

Now she puts her other hand onto his face. "I told McGee first because I needed space still to figure out what to do. You, you would have been concerned and told me not to do this."

He steps back, out of reach. "Obviously not, because here I am ready to commit what may be considered treason for you."

"If you do not want to come…" She started.

"Of course I want to come." Tony explodes. "If Gibbs ordered McGee to go with you, I would have followed you both anyway. Ziva, I'd go with you to the ends of the earth because I am your partner and that's what partners do-they have each other's sixes. If we're doing this, you need to trust me to have your six. I need to be your partner!"

Ziva takes a hesitant step forward, and when he doesn't move out of her reach, she wraps herself around him. Into his chest she mumbles, "You are my partner. You have always been my partner, and you will always be my partner. I am sorry I did not tell you I was tracking Bodner before I told McGee. That was wrong of me."

"You trust me?" He needs to hear it.

She stares him hard. "I trust you with my life."

Tony nods, swallowing the lump in his throat. He presses a kiss into her hair, then disentangles and heads over to the couch. There's a gun that's the same model as his NCIS one, so he picks it up and switches it with the other one in his holster.

"I'm ready." He says. "Are you?"

Ziva's eyes flash dark. "I am."

They pick up their bags and walk out the door.

Tony hears it click shut behind them, and he takes her hand.

She glances at him startled, but doesn't pull away. "Tony...I do not want to die on this mission."

He grins at her. "That's good, cause I'm getting real sick of the damsel in distress shtick."

They enter the elevator as a small smile crosses her face, and she teases back, "Yes please try to reign in your masculine urges in Europe. I do not wish to attract attention."

"Well how about this." He says. "I'll attract your attention, and you attract mine, and then neither of us has to worry about anyone else?"

Her hand is warm and secure in his. "That is a deal, Tony."

"Partners?" He asks again.

Her eyes are determined, and focused on his. "Partners."

He half wants to ask her to swear that in blood, but she hasn't let go his hand, and right now that's enough of an oath for him.

* * *

Confession: I was so tempted to write romance into the end. But I wanted something that might actually happen, even though it won't. I'm holding out hope for romance by the end of the season, but probably not until then.

Please review, especially because this is my first NCIS story, and I want to know how good/realistic/in character my fellow fans found my little contribution to our daydreams.

Hearts,  
Hayley


End file.
